James 2:14-22. Show thy faith without works, I will show my faith by my works.

1. A man hath faith, did no works, can faith save him?

We have studied about faith in the earlier portion of the chapter. So, we do not want to study them all over again. However, let us touch the key points. People call whatever they believe as faith. But they are not bible faith, or faith of Jesus Christ. Bible faith is a substance of hope, that has evidence. Substance is the promise of God and evidence is what we do, which will be proof that we have faith. Now let us continue to study the chapter, which is also more on faith. Satan always makes counterfeits that are fakes; and so, he teaches anything as faith. Satan uses preachers from our churches to spread his word. So, we must be careful. Let us begin our study with verse "14. What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?" The most prominent doctrine in Christianity at present is, "we are saved by grace, but not by works." Christians think that it came down directly from heaven, and from the throne of God. But it is just coming from the mouth of Satan, through our preachers. These preachers are blind leaders of the blind. If we do not escape from them, we will be destroyed with them, in the lake of fire. My statement is bold. If you think that I am wrong, please confront me, and please do not keep quiet. The preachers and pastors, who preach this doctrine, are Trojan horses that has entered our churches, and they are traitors to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Let us continue with the verse. The important phrase in this verse is, "a man say he hath faith, and have not works, can faith save him?" One word answer is "it cannot." The answer in one sentence is that he is a liar; if he has no works, he has no evidence for faith, and so, his faith is not bible faith. Further, these preachers twist the meaning of the word "works" to deceive Christians. So, it is very important that we must know the true meaning of this word, "works." There are two kinds of works. One is ritual and ceremonial, like worship services, Christian festivals, conventions and such things in churches. God do not consider such works for our salvation, but we think that God is in it. The other is, our righteous life, which is our obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ. We must do this works for our salvation. If we do not obey God, we will be punished in hell, and in the lake of fire. Preachers juggle around with these two "works" to deceive us and to fool us. We must escape this deception. So, let me give three links here. At least study one of them; it will help you to know the truth. It will make a difference between eternal death and eternal life. Links are: "Works", "Law or Faith", "Grace or Works".

Verses 15&16 are examples to verse 14. "15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?" People tell wishes or say clichés, but they are fake. Here this guy told them to "Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled;", like we say, take it easy, don't work too hard, take care, and such things. But, they are poor people and they do not have anything. He says be warm, and be filled, but they don't have food to eat, and coal to set a fire, and this guy knew it. If he would have meant it, he should give what they need. Was he mocking them? See the next verse; "17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone." So, fake wish that does not have work behind it, is dead faith. "1 John 3:17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? 18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth." Empty faith-talk is hypocrisy. We must help people.

2. O vain man, do you know faith without works is dead?

High sounding words, clichés, self-boasting statements, are cheap commodities in churches. Christians very eagerly learn and repeat clichés, since they give them identity and symbolize Christianity. Since such people fill churches, con-artists and entertainers find their way in top places in churches. They call it as faith movement and people grab it since it is excitement. But they are neither faith, nor it is of God. "James 2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works." They will have no evidence for their faith, except high sounding words and excitement. There are no works or obedience. "Matthew 7:17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit." If they produce good fruits, they have faith, but they have evil fruits. "2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." It means their old bad things are gone, and now they have godliness. But if their new things are worse than the old, what they have is not faith. Next verse is a good one. "19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble." You believe that God exists, but the devils are better than you are, they believe and also tremble. A couple of verses where devils tremble is, Mark 1:24 & 5:7. ["Mark 1:24 demons crying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God, and Mark 5:7 And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not."] Next verse is a rebuke to those who canvases against works; it calls them as vain men, useless fellows. "20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?" Romans 1:21 & 1 Timothy 1:6 talk about vain men. ["Romans 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 1 Timothy 1:6 From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;"] They learn some nonsense from some theology school, study a phrase or two in German, become total vain, and they jangle a lot. The tragedy is that a lot of foolish Christians follow them. It is very sad.

3. Was not Abraham our father justified by works?

Verse 21 "Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?" What we do are our works. The word 'Just' means 'righteous'; 'Justified' means we are 'made righteous'. Deuteronomy 6:25 and Romans 6:16 say, "of obedience unto righteousness." So, our righteousness comes, if only we obey what God tells us to do. Abraham did all that God told him to do, and became righteous; that is, he was justified by his works. Next portion of the verse is: "he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar." The reference from the old testament is, Genesis 22:1-10. "1 ... God ... said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. 2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. 3 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him. ... 9 And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. 10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son." God told Abraham the most difficult thing to do; it was to sacrifice his own son, but Abraham did not hesitate. He rose early in the morning and began to do the job. That is, he obeyed God immediately, even though it is to sacrifice, that is to kill his own beloved son. His obedience is called righteousness, and God justifies Abraham. In Romans, scripture says that Abraham believed God, and it was imputed, or counted unto him for his righteousness. His belief was not empty words, as preachers claim; but his belief laid his son on the altar. Let us see a few more things about Abraham. "Genesis 12:1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee: 2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. 4 So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; etc." God met Abraham, gave him a promise with blessing in Genesis 12:2&3. It says, "I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and so on." God gave him a command in verse 1, it is, "Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and so on." Abraham obeyed God immediately in verse 4, it is "Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him." So, Abraham was justified by his works of immediate obedience. It is also in Acts 7:2-4. Please notice a great statement of God about Abraham; in "Genesis 26:5, ... Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws." Abraham obeyed God perfectly in all things; and so, Abraham our Father was justified by his works. Preachers of Satan say that justifying is by just believing, but it is not by obeying God, or by doing any kind of righteous works. It is pure nonsense and deception.

4. 'Works' are 'life' to 'Faith'; Testing work make Faith perfect.

"James 2:22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?" Please notice, this verse appears to be repeated twice. Faith is made by works, and faith is made perfect, by more works; it is works upon works; and so, here are two functions. It is not a repeat. First is faith is made, and the next is, this faith was made perfect, by special work. We have studied about faith. Now God tells how this faith was made perfect. When Abraham has attained faith, God wants to make it perfect faith. So, he put him to test. "Genesis 22:1 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and so on. Hebrews 11:17 says, By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac:" Genesis says that God did tempted Abraham, and Hebrews says that God tried Abraham. So, we know that it was a test to Abraham, but the purpose was not to kill Isaac; and it appears that Abraham did not know this. Let us look at the background. "Hebrews 11:17 says, ... he that had received the promises ..." So, Abraham has received a promise from God; what was that promise? "Genesis 17:19 says, God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him, (seed = descendant). Genesis 21:12 says ... for in Isaac shall thy seed be called." So, God gave Abraham his son Isaac to establish through Isaac an everlasting covenant, and to bring the seed, whom we know that the seed is Jesus Christ. It is in "Galatians 3:16, Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. ... to thy seed, which is Christ." So, Isaac must live to bring descendants, to bring the seed, who will be Jesus Christ, to be part of the everlasting covenant. God gave this promise to Abraham. Abraham knew this promise, and it was the substance of his faith. So, Abraham knew that Isaac would live. It is in Hebrews. "11:17 says ... and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: 19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure." So, Abraham sacrificed Isaac, fully knowing that Isaac will not be killed. God stopped him from killing and gave Isaac back to him. What a faith! Abraham passed the test with flying colors. His faith was made perfect. Do you have faith? Will you allow God to make your faith perfect? I wish that at least some of you will have faith upon faith, which is perfect faith.

If any point needs explanation, OR, if you find an error according to scripture,
Please write to me in the 'Mail Box' below. I will respond promptly. Thanks. 

God Bless You

 Your Feedback

HOME